Samsung Gear 2 update incoming; what’s new?

With Google I/O a mere week away, chances are very good that we’re about to find ourselves facing some new Android Wear developments. Between whatever software news emerges out of there, and the pending arrival of the LG G Watch, Moto 360, and whatever new hardware pops up this summer, Android Wear is threatening to go from zero to sixty in no time at all, changing the Android smartwatch landscape. That puts pressure on manufacturers of existing smartwatches to keep moving if they want their products to stay relevant, and today we see Samsung doing a little of just that, doling out a new system update for the Gear 2.

So, what’s packed-in to this release? Well, there’s some of the general “stability update” stuff we’d expect to see, but also news of specific enhancements; for instance, we hear that Samsung’s delivering targeted improvements to its S Health app.

We also learn about a change to how the watch’s “blocking mode” works, which lets users choose to silent the Gear 2’s notifications when they don’t wish to be disturbed. In the past, this was automatically tied to the watch being set to sleep mode, but this week’s update gives users the ability to engage blocking selectively, whenever they choose (and independently of sleep).

The Gear 2 system software 2.2.1.2 update weighs-in at about 20MB and should be available now – just check your Gear Manager app.

Update: We’ve got the official press release now, which mentions a few other improvements, like pedometer improvements and better heart rate accuracy. The update’s coming to not just the Gear 2, but also the Neo and fit.

Stephen has been writing about electronics since 2008, which only serves to frustrate him that he waited so long to combine his love of gadgets and his degree in writing. In his spare time, he collects console and arcade game hardware, is a motorcycle enthusiast, and enjoys trapping blue crabs. Stephen's first mobile device was a 624 MHz Dell Axim X30, which he's convinced is still a viable platform. Stephen longs for a market where phones are sold independently of service, and bandwidth is cheap and plentiful; he's not holding his breath. In the meantime, he devours smartphone news and tries to sort out the juicy bits Read more about Stephen Schenck!